Georg F. W. Schaeffler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Schaeffler AG, and Klaus Widmaier, Chairman of the Board of the Schaeffler FAG Foundation, have presented the 25,000 euro Honorary Award of the Schaeffler FAG Foundation to the Institute for Product Development (Institut für Produktentwicklung (IPEK)) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The foundation’s most valuable prize has been awarded for the second time since 2013 for an innovative, technical overall achievement. Professor Dr.-Ing. Dr.h.c. Albert Albers, Director of the Institute, accepted the award on behalf of all employees. In his speech, Georg F. W. Schaeffler emphasized that Schaeffler and IPEK have enjoyed a fruitful, strategic partnership for several years and work together on research and development projects: “Among the other finalists, who were equally deserving of the award, IPEK won out. Presenting the “Honorary Award” of the Schaeffler FAG Foundation to IPEK honors the institute’s outstanding technical performance as well as expertise in science, research and teaching. On behalf of the Schaeffler FAG Foundation, on behalf of my mother, Mrs. Schaeffler-Thumann, and Schaeffler AG, I would like to congratulate all IPEK employees, the institute’s director, Professor Albert Albers, Professor Sven Matthiesen and Dipl.-Ing. Sascha Ott as well as the entire KIT.” Projects: Mobility for Tomorrow The basis for cooperation between Schaeffler and the KIT is “SHARE at the KIT” (Schaeffler Hub for Automotive Research in E-Mobility) established in 2013. It has become a success story and has already resulted in a large number of promising projects together with the IPEK. For instance, some of Professor Albers’ graduate students have worked in product development on issues of mobility in old age and developed seven innovative prototypes. In other projects, SHARE at the KIT and IPEK have been working on new, optimized structures for hybrid drive systems for future vehicle generations and on innovative designs for battery systems. Schaeffler and IPEK have been cooperating for years in the field of clutch systems and tribology, which provides essential input for future mobility solutions. In all joint projects, research findings are the basis for deriving innovative technical product solutions. Professor Dr.-Ing. Dr.h.c. Albers thanked the Schaeffler FAG Foundation for the award on behalf of the entire IPEK team. “This recognizes 20 years of highly successful research in product development and drive system technology that has very often involved and will continue to involve cooperation with Schaeffler. We will also be your partner in the future to meet the enormous challenges of our changing society and markets.” Foundation Awards and Funding Klaus Widmaier took the opportunity to encourage teachers and students to keep trying to win another Schaeffler AG Foundation award. “The foundation funds science, research and teaching in the natural sciences and technology at universities. With a focus on bearing technology, we fund master’s and doctoral theses that are a good match for our technologies and serve the purpose of the foundation. The foundation is a driving force for knowledge, knowledge transfer and the development of potential. It is an expression of entrepreneurial and social responsibility.” Out of its three funding lines, the Honorary Award, the Innovation Award and school funding programs, the foundation has distributed more than one million euros (1,035,000 euros) in its more than 30 years of work, including today’s prize.